Characterization of Physicochemical and Thermal Properties of Biofield Treated Ethyl Cellulose and Methyl Cellulose

Cellulose and its derivatives are used as potential matrices for biomaterials and tissue engineering applications. The objective of present research was to investigate the influence of biofield treatment on physical, chemical and thermal properties of ethyl cellulose (EC) and methyl cellulose (MC). The study was performed in two groups (control and treated). The control group remained as untreated, and biofield treatment was given to treated group. The biofield treated polymers are characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), CHNSO analysis, X-ray diffraction study (XRD), Differential Scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). FT-IR analysis of treated EC showed downward shifting in C-O-C stretching peak from 1091?1066 cm-1 with respect to control. However, the treated MC showed upward shifting of –OH stretching (3413?3475) and downward shifting in C-O stretching (1647?1635 cm-1) vibrations with respect to control MC. CHNSO analysis showed substantial increase in percent hydrogen and oxygen in treated polymers with respect to control. XRD diffractogram of EC and MC affirmed the typical semi-crystalline nature. The crystallite size was substantially increased by 20.54% in treated EC with respect to control. However, the treated MC showed decrease in crystallite by 61.59% with respect to control. DSC analysis of treated EC showed minimal changes in crystallization temperature with respect to control sample. However, the treated and control MC did not show any crystallization temperature in the samples. TGA analysis of treated EC showed increase in thermal stability with respect to control. However, the TGA thermogram of treated MC showed reduction in thermal stability as compared to control. Overall, the result showed substantial alteration in physical, chemical and thermal properties of treated EC and MC.

The result showed significant effect of biofield treatment on physical, chemical and thermal properties of two important cellulose polymers such as EC and MC. XRD diffractogram of EC and MC (treated and control) revealed semi-crystalline nature of polymers. FT-IR spectral analysis of treated EC showed changes in C-O-C stretching with respect to control. However, the treated MC showed alteration in C-O and O-H stretching vibration peaks as compared to control. CHNSO analysis showed that biofield treatment has significantly changed the elemental composition (%H and %O) of the polymers. The treated EC showed substantial increase in crystallite size by 20.54% as compared to control. However, the treated MC showed decrease in crystallite size by 61.59% as compared to control. DSC thermogram of treated EC showed slight changes in crystallization temperature with respect to control. However, no crystallization temperature was evidenced in control and treated MC which might be due to amorphous nature of the polymer. Nevertheless, enthalpy of treated EC and MC was significantly changed after biofield treatment. TGA thermogram of treated EC showed a significant increase in Tmax which corroborates its high thermal stability. However, the treated MC showed reduction in thermal stability as compared to control. Overall, the result suggested that biofield treatment has changed the physical and thermal properties of EC and MC. Hence, it is assumed that treated EC and MC polymers could be used for biomaterial applications.